Method of underpinning buildings.



J. B. GOLDSBOROUGH. METHOD OF UNDERPINNING BUILDINGS.

INVENTOR '6 a, By Attorneys,

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1912.

WITNESSES:

J. B. GOLDSBOROUGH. .METHOD OF UNDERPINNING BUILDINGS.

' APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 27, 1912. 1,093,26 1 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR S E S S E .WITN

IINITEU @TATEb PATENT @FFIQE.

JOHN B. GOLDSBOROUGH, 0F UROTON, NET/V YORK.

METHOD OF UNDERIPINNING BUILDINGS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JoI-IN B. GoLnsBoR- OUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Croton, in the county of lVestohester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Underpinning Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the underpinning of buildings and similar heavy structures, and has for its object to provide means whereby a new and permanent foundation or underpinning may be provided for such building or other structure at any desired depth lower than the original foundation without undermining the original foundation or interfering with the supporting power of the earth upon which the same rests.

A further and important object ofmy invention is to provide such building or other structure with an underpinning or new foundation without the employment of temporary supports for the structure being underpinned or of shores, braces, needle beams, etc, the employment of which obstructs the work in hand and interferes with the occupancy of the adjoining building.

According to my invention transverse supporting beams are located in bearing engagement to the base portion of the wall of the building or other structure, and the new underpinning; is located in the ground at a convenient point adjacent to the projecting end of such supporting means, and is thereupon connected thereto.

It frequently becomes necessary, for various reasons, to provide a building with a new and deeper foundation. The foundations of the majority of buildings, particularly in cities, are usually located at from 12 to 15 feet below the curb and a slight distance below the basement floor. Such foundations are ample when undisturbed but when, as is often the case, adjacent building operations require an excavation to a greater depth than the said foundation, or when the bearing power of the soil has become disturbed by the draining of the water therefrom through excavations nearby, or when the Weight on the building is greatly increased, it becomes necessary to provide a building with foundations of increased supporting power, and usually in case of deeper excavations alongside, such foundations are extended to a greater depth Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2'7, 1912.

Patented Apr. 14, TWA.

Serial No. 717,303.

and until they reach a sub-strata of suificlent bearing power to support the increased weight. Such underpinning operations, particularly in cases where buildings have been supported upon piers or columns, have usually required that the earth underlying the original foundations should be removed; and such foundations themselves have usually likewise been removed to provide suflicient headroom for construction of a new foundation. Such operations have involved the temporary support of the structure being underpinned. This is recognized as a difficult and dangerous undertaking and it is a decided advantage to be able to dispense with it. There is also a great advantage in providing a new foundation wlthout removing the earth from under the original foundation or interfering with the supporting power thereof.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated embodiments of my invention.

Here Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a building which is supported upon an underpinning constructed in accordance with my method. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a structure similar to F 1 illustrating, on the right-hand side thereof, a desirable method of inserting a hollow beam under the structure to be underpinned, and on the lefthand side thereof a portion of the completed underpinning.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention in connection with the foundation of a building which is supported upon piers. The original footings of the piers have been bonded together and a new and extended footing provided in accordance with a method invented by me, and more particularly described and claimed in my Patent Reissue No. 13,610, dated August 26, 1913. In brief, the said piers A, which rested originally upon the footings B, have had their footings increased and extendedby causing the flanges of transverse I-beams C to be engaged underneath the footings B after the earth has been excavated substantially to the level of the said footings. Thereupon longitudinal beams D are located in engagement with the said transverse I- beam C, preferably by being situated directly beneath the same. The whole of the said structure, to wit, the original footings Tllll B, transverse I-beams C and longitudinal reinforcing and supporting beams D are then embedded in a mass of concrete E which may, if desired, be reinforced 'by additional reinforcing rods, and the said reinforced concrete footing, which as a whole I designate F, then forms a new and extended support or foundation for the structure supported upon piers A, which is possessed of great strength and has furnished a foundation greatly increased supporting power over the original foundation.

I have illustrated my invention as employed in connection with the foundation just described, but obviously it is not necessary to so employ it. It may be employed in connection with any foundation, whether constructed according to said method or otherwise, or whether it be a new foundation or an old foundation.

According to my invention, when it be comes necessary to provide an underpinning for a structure whereby the structure shall be adequately supported at a lower depth, I insert transversely of the wall and in such a position with regard to the base portion of the wall as that it shall receive the load therefrom, beams G which may well take the form of the I-beams illustrated in the accompanying drawing. These beams G are preferably located within a casing or hollow beam H, and where this hollow beam is employed it is first inserted transversely of the wall and preferably directly beneath the original footing and as close thereto as possible. The operation of inserting one of the said hollow beams or casings H is illus trated in Fig. 3. Here a suitable trench I is excavated at one side of the foundation F and the casing H is placed in position directly beneath the said foundation, whereupon a hydraulic or other jack J is located horizontally and, reacting against the wall K of the trench through a bearing beam 70, forces the beam H beneath the footing F. A hearing block or plate 7' may well be employed between the casing H and the jack J. F or the purpose of aiding in the insertion of the said hollow beam or casing H beneath the footing F, means may be employed to remove earth from within the said hollow casing, for which purpose a long handled tool in the nature of a hoe L may be used. In Fig. 1, I have illustrated the employment of a box beam M as well adapted for this purpose, and I have also illustrated a circular beam or casing H. Either of these may be employed as my invention does not reside in the particular character of hollow beam employed for this purpose. When the said hollow beam H has been inserted the proper distance under the footing F, in which position its ends will be substantially even with the faces of the said footing, the beams G may be inserted therein. I have illustrated, in the various figures, the employment of two such beams, but any number may be used. The ends of beams G preferably project a suitable distance, be tween 1 and 2 feet, beyond the ends of the hollow beam H. The structure is now ready for the creation of the new underpinning and its connectionwith the wall so as to sup port the weight thereof. Columns N, which are illustrated as providing the new underpinning, are thereupon driven into the earth by any suitable means, for instance, a steam hammer or ile driver, or any other'means capable of exerting a short and rapid blow, or if desired, the weight of the building through the extended footing F may be employed for this purpose. The said columns M are located in the ground preferably at a point outside the face of the footing I whereby they do not interfere with the soil beneath the said footing. These columns may be sectional columns or integral. A solid inders.

A water jetmay be employed for the purpose of' aiding in sinking the columns and cleaning them out after they have been sunk, and'if desired they may be filled with concrete after being sunk. columns have been sunk so that they are able to receive a load they are suitably connected to the beams Gr. My preferred mode of establishing such connection is by means of short beams, such as I-beams O, of which two are illustrated situated side by side and through bearing plate a resting upon the head of the column. across the projecting ends of adjacent sets of I-beams, Gr, so that the column N receives the load of two such sets of I-beams. If desired the hollow beams or casings H or M may, after the insertion of the I-beams G, be filled with liquid grout or cement, whereby the strength of the said resultant structure is greatly increased and the I-beams G are protected from rust.

It will be obvious that my invention does not reside in the particular apparatus employed nor is it limited to the exact steps or sequence of operations enumerated, but that various changes may be made'therein and equivalent devices and steps employed within the limits of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. The method of underpinning buildings or other structures, which consists inv forcing hollow beams through the earth transversely of the wall and closely adjacent the base portion thereof, cleaning out the earth from said hollow beams, in inserting supporting beams through said hollow beams having projecting ends, in filling said hollow beams with grout or the like, in locating underpinning columns in the earth and connecting them to the ends of said beams.

pile may be employed or hollow cyl- WVhen the said These beams extend 2. The method of underpinning buildings or other structures, which consists in forcing hollow beams through the earth transversely of the wall and closely adjacent the base portion thereof, in cleaning out said hollow beams, in inserting supporting beams therein having projecting ends, in filling said hollow beams with grout or the like, in locating underpinning columns in the earth between the projecting ends of adjacent supporting beams, and in interposing a connecting member between the head of said column and the projecting ends of said adjacent supporting beams.

3. An underpinning for buildings or the like, comprising hollow beams or casings located in separated positions beneath the base portion of the said wall, supporting beams in said hollow beams and having their ends projecting therefrom, columns located in the earth between the said projecting ends, and distributing beams connected to the head of said columns and to the projecting ends of said pair of supporting beams, said hollow beam or casing being filled with grout or the like.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. GOLDSBOROUGH.

Witnesses:

FREDERIC M. HARDER, MARTIN B. MEAGI-IER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

